Google Now Arrives On iOS

Google Now, the crown jewel in the Android app collection and the personal assistant thought by many to be better than Apple’s Siri, has landed on iOS.

Google apps on iPhone and iPad are nothing new; in fact, the search engine’s voice search feature has been present on the rival operating system for some time. However, with Google Now comes a whole new level of advancement – software that could well upstage Siri in its own backyard.

This will be the first time that Google Now is featured on non-Android software and is being bundled with an upgrade to Google’s existing Search app on iOS. The technology originally debuted nine months ago at Google’s I/O conference and has received universal praise from Android users. The Apple version of the software brings with it the same features and visuals, making it a serious threat to the pioneering Siri.

“Google Now is about giving you just the right information at just the right time,” said Google on its official blog.

This information can include showing you weather as you choose your outfit for the day ahead, reminding you of flight times, providing you with updates to news stories that you have been following, and alerting you of heavy traffic on your intended route.

“There’s no digging required: cards appear at the moment you need them most—and the more you use Google Now, the more you get out of it,” Google added.

The handy cards that are displayed when accessing the software are added to by the improved Search app, which provides instant answers to all questions by tapping the mic and speaking to your device.

“Ask Google, “Do I need an umbrella this weekend?” and you’ll get the forecast. Or ask “Who’s in the cast of ‘Oblivion’?” to decide if you want to see it,” said the blog post. Also adding that Voice Search is great on the move, showing directions, ratings and phone numbers of nearby restaurants for queries such as “Show me nearby pizza places.”

Google Now running up on Siri’s territory is another sign of Google looking to convince Apple users to use its products in favor of those on iOS. The search giant has been successful in doing this in the past with the release of its replacement Maps application after the original version was dumped by Apple, who proceeded to fail dramatically with its own mapping software.

The updated Search app is available in the App Store now for users running iOS 5 and above. Once installed, a quick tutorial of Google Now will be given, after which you can sign into your Google account and begin receiving updates and relevant cards.